Year&#39;round air conditioning system



Oct. 25, 1955 K. R. DENNICK YEAR ROUND AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 19 1951 A T TOR/YE) Oct. 25, 1955 K. R.DENNICK YEAR ROUND AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July19 1951 o o o o a o o o o o o o m o o o 0 sh \Q.N kNhN ml C @QQQ J J Q QU QM A: MN N mN w kw w QM m. N WM. wg @Q INVENTOR. KEN/V5 TH A. DEN/WCKATTO/EWFY United States Patent YEAR ROUND AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEMKenneth R. Dennick, Jackson Heights, N. Y.

Application July 19, 1951, Serial No. 237,600

2 Claims. (Cl. 62-6) The invention relates to air conditioning systemshaving a central source of thermal energy with means for circulating thesame and a plurality of absorption refrigeration apparatus, variouslylocated and suitable for conditioning the air in individual rooms of amulti-story building in winter as well as in summer.

It has for an objectto provide a system of this nature which will admitof individual and independent control of the temperature and thehumidity conditions in the respective rooms; also to have the controlmeans self-contained within each unit and automatically operating tomaintain desired conditions, and adjustable through manual operation byan occupant of a particular room.

A further object is to provide a refrigerating unit of the conventionalconsole type; and, also, to dispense with the conventional radiator forroom heating purposes in that a unit operating under the novel system isautomatically convertible to this end.

With a system of the aforesaid nature, it is possible, in the case ofsummer operation thereof, to provide not only for sensible cooling ofthe ambient atmosphere but as well for latent cooling and to secure andmaintain the desired degree of relative humidity. In the case of winteroperation, heating and humidification of the ambient atmosphere areafforded. The novel system admits of automatic operation also duringperiods between normal heating and cooling seasons. All-yearventilation, air movement, and cleansing of the air are also providedfor, so that ideal conditions are maintained throughout the year.

In carrying out the invention, use is made of a steam boiler, a heatexchanger, and a circulating water pump which may all conveniently becentrally located as in the basement of the building; a cooling meansfor water, such as a tower located, for example, on the roof of thebuilding; and console-type room conditioning units located in thevarious rooms, together with suitable piping connections from theboiler, water pump and heat exchanger among the various members.

The nature of the invention, however, will best be understood whendescribed in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a fragmentary and more or less conventional showing invertical section, through a multi-story building, illustrating the novelair conditioning system installed therein.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged front elevation of an individual room conditioningunit with front panel and top of its enclosing console removed, at leastone of such units being provided in a room to be air conditioned.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on the line 3-3, Fig. 2 of thedrawings, looking in the direction of the arrows, and with portionsomitted.

Referring to the drawings, more particularly Fig. 1, the novelconditioning system is indicated as installed in a multi-story buildingupon the roof 11 of which there may be supported a cooling tower 12 orsimilar means for water circulated through the system, as willhereinafter be set forth. Each floor is equipped with one or more2,721,449 Patented Oct. 25, 1955 console-type room conditioners 13independently operating on the absorption refrigeration principle, andshown more particularly in Figs. 2 and 3. These units may operate withconventional refrigerants and it is preferred for this purpose toutilize Water, as an aqueous solution of lithium chloride or bromide.Provision is made to introduce air, both internal and external, to eachconditioner unit 13 through a filter 14 at the lower portion of a unit,the internal air having communication through a grille 15 with a chamber16 immediately below the filter, and said chamber communicating with theexternal air, to mix with recirculated air, through a duct 17 providedthrough the building wall and having also an adjustable damper 18 forcontrol of outside air through a unit.

In accordance with the invention, there is provided a central andpreferably low-pressure steam boiler 20, for example in the buildingbasement 21 in which is located also the pump 22 for circulating waterthrough the system, and a heat exchanger 23. The latter is arranged forconnection both with the boiler 20 and with the pump 22, the connectionsbeing permanent in the latter case and in the former being efifectedautomatically under control of a valve 24 subject to regulation by athermostat 25 operated by the temperature of the water within theexchanger and by a reset thermostat 25 for the former thermostat 25 andlocated in the air external the building 10.

The respective room conditioning units, while comprising generally theconventional elements, to wit: a generator 26 with separator 27 andabsorber 28, a condenser 29, evaporator 30 and motor-driven fans 31providing air movement through a unit for discharge through a grille orthe like 32 of the enclosing console casing 33, are modified moreespecially with respect to the condenser element thereof both in itsconstruction and with respect to its location within the console. Thus,a condenser 29 is of coaxial tubular design, the water flow beingdirected through the space between the outer and inner tubes 29 and 29"respectively, and the refrigerant through the inner one 29". Inaddition, the outer tube is equipped with integral fins 34 to provide anextended radiation surface.

The condenser as a whole, also, is located in the system in a novelmanner with respect to the air flowing from the evaporator. To this enda dual duct 35 is provided at, for example, the upper portion of theconsole in advance of the discharge grille 32, and jointly operabledampers 36 are provided between the two duct portions, in one of whichlatter the condenser is located and in the other the evaporator. Aby-pass is thus afforded between the said duct portions, and the extentof diversion of flow is effected by the dampers 36 under control of adry bulb thermostat 37 having its bulb 37' positioned in the chamber 16and the circulating air stream in advance of the evaporator. The latteris located in advance of the condenser in the direction of air to bedischarged in order that the bypassed volume of air passing over thefins 34 of the condenser will modify the air leaving a unit throughgrille 32 to the necessary extent to secure the desired relativehumidity for the sensible and latent cooling loads.

A wet bulb 38' of a thermostat 38 is located adjacently to a further butdry bulb 38" thereof and in the chamber 16, said thermostat operating toactuate a valve 39 controlling the admission of steam from boiler 20 tothe generator 26 of a conditioner 13 in effecting vapor flow in therefrigeration cycle, as is well understood. Connec tions are made to therespective conditioner generators from a steam main 20' and return main20" to this end. Thermostat 38 is designed to be reset if the wet bulbdepression for sensible heat removal is not sufiicient to satisfy latentheat removal requirements.

The vapor from generator 26 passes through separator 27 and from itthrough tube 26' to the condenser 29, then the condensed vapors passthrough tube 30' to the evaporator and ther efro m to absorber 28associated with a heat exchanger 28'. Absorbent liiiilid from "separator27 passes through a tube 4% through a liquid heat exchanger 41 to theabsorber. The absorbent liquid and refrigerant pass then from theabsorberithrough a tube 42and the heat exciiahger back toj generator 26.Atube ibe z tw een tube -4-2 and the separator serves toequalizepressui'e differ entials. V y y u 7,

From the cooling tower 12, water is returned'through a main d' to thepump 22 and then is circulated by the latter byjfneans ofa riser 46 andintermediate piping connections 46', 451'0 and tram the respectiveconditioning units, preferably entering the absorber 2:8 of a ulnit asat 47 to passjtherethrough in heat exchangingrelationship and thenceltotheiinits condenser element 29 through a tube 47. Pram the respectivecondensers it is returned by therespective piping conneet'ion 46"through a return main 4-8, to the cooling tower 12 for cooling andrecirculation. The ternperatufe of the water-leaving the cooling tower12 is: controlled by a by-pass connection 49 between the mains '45 and48, avnv; 56 being included therein andregula'ted au natia1t p a thermostat 51,' one bulb offw hich is lo cate d in the main 45 to the pump.

In'the caseof wi nter operation, ajfurther bulb 52 resets thetherrnostatfil for valve 50 to' providea fully open position thereof,saidfurther bulb being'exposed to outdoor temperatures as in locating iton the roof 11. The thermostat 25, with bulb l ocated in h eat exchanger23, then causesthe steam control valve 24 toopen for controlling thetemperature of the: water in said heat exchanger in relation totheoutside air temperature thermostat 25 being reset undercontrol of thefurther thermostat 25 exposed t'o' outdoor temperatures. Water thusheated is circulated throughthe condenser 29 of a room unit andreturns'to the circulation pump 2; through by-pass valve 50whichis'reset'in an open position under the influence of the outside airon the bulb 52 of thermostat 51, as hereinb'efore noted. The quantity ofheat admitted to the room 'to offset losses is governed by the positionof the dampers which are positioned by' the dry bulb controlled'the'r'most at 37. Humidification is accomplished by a wet bulbthermOstat SS, having its bulb 53 located in the chamber 16, positioninga valve 54 which adds moisture to the" a ir t hrough sprays 55. 1

Excess'water accumulated by latent cooling in the summer andhumi'dification in theiwinter is drained from a room conditionerby adrain pan 56 which maybe connected to' the building drainage system'(not shown).

In winter the refrigeration cycle, of course, is inactive "nbsfeam 'isadmitted tb the generators 2'6 through 'tl'fe control valve 39.Between'the heating and cooling seasons the proposed system operates bysupplying, as hereinbefore set forth, heating or cooling as required.

I claim:

1. An absorption-type, single-cycle, refrigeration air conditioningunit, comprising a single tubular-type refrigerant condenser havingcoaxial tubes one for'the'refrigerant and the other for a circulatingliquid, an evaporator for '1 the refrigerant 'and 'ahousing about theevaporator, a generator communicating with the condenser and evaporator,av'alve'fo'r admittiiig ste'am tosaid generator, thermostatic meansincluding a controlling dry bulb and a controlling Wet bulb subjected tothe ambient air, the former bulb being responsive to open said valve andthe latter bulb to reset the same; and means for cir culating fordischargea stream of air through the housin andover the fevaporator,said'housing providing a dufi outlet duct and within one of which ductportions the condenser is located, said one duct portion afiordingabypass for the air stream beyondthe evaporatorQWhichlatt'er is inpermanent communication with the other-duct; and further'therrnostaticmeans, including a dry bulb subjctedto the ambient air, controllingautomatically communication between the two said ducts. h

L2. -An air conditioning unit accordingto claim 1, whereindampenrneansare provided together with an operating solenoid c ontrolledby the said further thermostatic means, whereby the circulated air maybe divertedover the entire condenser.

"Rrerms Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 843,909Peters 'Feb."12,'l907 1; 52 7 ,833 'B'uchel Feb. 24, 19 25 2,093,725 H-1t.- Sept. 21, 1937 2,111, 18 'Erbach 1Mar. 2 2,193'8 -2-;1 3o,0s9 HullSept. 13, 193 8 251 87982 Moncri'ef Jan. 23, 1-940 2,268; 7 6 9 NewtonJan. '6, 1942 2,272,099 Smith Feb. 3, 1942 2309,1565 Candor Jan. 2 -1143 2,378; 177 Bichowskv 'Iun'e 12, 1945 2,492,757 Meek Decf2 7,f1949{2;52 2;-4-s4 "Ringq'u ist "'Se'pt. 12,10 sis-815122 "McNely 'J'an. 1,1952

